Late
by PinkRabbitPro
Summary: Cat's late, Kara's scared, and life just got a lot more complicated. Supercat established relationship.


**Author: Pink Rabbit Productions ( PinkRabbitPro, .com)  
Title: Late  
Summary: **Cat's late, Kara's scared, and life just got a lot more complicated. Established relationship.  
 **Author's Notes:** Technically, I originally started this for Supercat Week Summer 2016, but then I just kinda hated it, and I wound up creating art instead (because yes, that's much easier and safer than words). Then I ran across this when sent a challenge to post the opening sentences of my last 20 stories and kinda liked it, so there ya go, never give up on anything.

 **Late**

Cat was late.

Kara Danvers tamped down the unease that shivered down her spine as she barely resisted the urge to look at her watch again as though that would make Cat appear. Even fifteen years after arriving on earth, she still had issues when people she cared for weren't where they were supposed to be. She knew it was irrational, that if nothing else, traffic in National City was problematic at best, but she couldn't help it, she worried.

She pushed off any temptation to give in to guilt over her over-reaction to the stress of worrying about someone. Given her history, she knew it wasn't surprising. As an adolescent, she'd seen her entire world die, then been separated from the baby cousin she was supposed to be responsible for. She still didn't know if he'd even made it to earth. Added to that, her arrival on earth had come with a crash that had left several people at a secret government facility dead.

Pure luck and Jeremiah Danvers had saved her from government custody and given her a home, a forged identity, and loving adoptive parents, even an infant sister two years later.

But still, she worried, particularly not when something or someone was important to her. She had a deep seeded terror of losing the people she loved.

And she was falling in love with Cat Grant. Or maybe that should be, had fallen in love with Cat Grant.

It had only been a little over a month since the up and coming media mogul swept into her life at an art show. Cat had been looking for an artist to handle several installation pieces for a new office building. She'd been a bit frosty and officious, though she'd described Kara's work as beautiful, then added it was just too overwhelming for what she needed. She'd turned a sharp gaze Kara's way and inquired if she could produce something a bit blander.

The money was good and Kara was tempted, but she'd been honest. She didn't do bland, no matter how gorgeous Cat was. She'd meant to annoy the other woman with what she expected to be unwelcome flirtation. That had begun and back and forth dance that had nothing to do with either woman's work and everything to do with the women themselves.

And it was a two-way street. They were as close to opposites as two people could be, but could always find something to talk about

It only took until the third date before they fell into bed, and another week before it was painfully obvious this was serious.

Kara was contemplating taking her home to meet her family, while Cat promised not to.

Digging out her cell phone, she peered at it, checking for a message that wasn't there almost obsessively. "C'mon, Cat," she whispered a little desperately, barely tamping down the urge to fly and hunt for her.

She briefly considered calling Eliza or Jeremiah—not that there was anything they could do, but they were both good at talking her out of emotional tail spins—but her adopted parents had enough problems with her little sister Alex, who at fifteen was going into full on bratty-teenager mode with a vengeance. So far, that had included more than a little resentment directed Kara's way over any time their parents spent with her that Alex regarded as ignoring her. If she called, it was likely to just start another fight and make everything worse. She adored the younger girl, and considered her a real sister, but Alex's resentments had left her wondering if it was mutual even if her parents insisted it was just a phase.

So she put the phone back down, though she kept an eye on it, hoping for some kind of contact. When a bartender skimmed by a few minutes later, she ordered a whiskey sour even though it wouldn't do a damn thing to settle her mood like it might have a human. It would keep her hands busy and the burn on her throat would be a distraction.

More minutes and a half dozen more checks of her phone passed until she was just barely remaining seated when a shiver of awareness slid down her spine. Twisting in the booth, she heaved a sigh of relief and experienced a wave of weakness as her eyes laid on the willowy figure standing in the doorway.

Kara waved, grinning when she saw Cat look her way, but every sense went on high alert as a wan smile was directed her way and the other woman almost seemed to stagger. Kara pushed to her feet and would have gone to her, but Cat waved her off and shook her head, instead weaving through the tightly packed tables to finally sink into the booth opposite Kara with a tired sigh.

Nothing about Cat's behavior was easing Kara's fears. "You okay?" she asked worriedly as she retook her seat. She peered closely, studying the other woman carefully. There were dark circles under her eyes and she paler than normal. "You look awfully...tired..."

"I'm..." Cat began only to trail off and start over. "I'll be fine."

Which wasn't exactly a denial there was a problem. Kara's heartrate elevated and she took a long pull from her drink while Cat signaled a waitress.

"Your usual, Miss Grant?" she asked politely.

Cat's complexion took on a faintly green tint and she shook her head. "A cola...the real thing, with sugar," she clarified, "over crushed ice and maybe some pretzels...something salty.

If the waitress was surprised by the request, she didn't let it show. "The bar has cola syrup and shaved ice, if you'd prefer."

Cat nodded. "That would be perfect."

Kara watched the waitress slip off, then peered at Cat with a worried frown. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Just a little queasy." Cat massaged her temple slowly.

"Headache?"

"Something like that," Cat said distantly and took out her phone, quick scrolling through her messages with unusual attention.

With every passing moment, Kara found herself getting more concerned. Cat wasn't always the most publicly demonstrative person, but there was a sudden distance between them that she didn't understand at all. Cat had been a little off for a couple of days, but not like this. "Have I done something?" the words were out of her mouth before she could call them back.

Cat's chin snapped up and her brows drew into a frown. "No," she said quickly. She shut her phone down and tossed it in her purse. "No, Kara, you haven't done anything wrong...at all..." she clarified, her voice soft and serious. "It's just..." she trailed off and took a deep breath. "There are some things going on right now..." Again the words petered out.

Her drink order arrived, delaying any further comment and leaving Kara even more jittery. She thought she'd finally found something real of her own, and her instincts were screaming a dozen different warnings that she might lose it and she wasn't sure she could survive that..

"Thank you." Cat nodded to waitress, took a pretzel and began delicately nibbling.

The waitress offered a sympathetic smile. "Been there, sweetie, let me know if I can get you anything else."

Kara stared after the woman with a confused expression, something about her comment, as though she knew something Kara didn't, set her teeth on edge. Her hand fisted where it sat the table and she shook ever so slightly. Stress. She didn't handle uncertainty well. She stared down at the tight fist for a long moment, concentrating on relaxing the muscles, and opening her fingers.

The waitress left, but Cat remained quiet, nibbling on a pretzel and taking an occasional spoonful of the slushy in front of her. Her gaze was distant, her expression unreadable.

"Cat," she said after several long moments of uncomfortable silence, "what's wrong?"

The blonde blinked and shook herself, then peered at Kara as though just remembering she was there. "I'm sorry...I..." She swallowed hard. "I meant to do a better job of this...but I...I don't quite know what to say..." she admitted.

Kara's heart slammed against the inside of her ribs as the realization hit her that this was about to blow up like everything good in her life always seemed to. "Please, Cat...just tell me," she begged.

Green eyes slid closed for a moment and Cat nodded. Another hard swallow made her throat bob. "I saw my doctor this morning..."

A very tiny step from panicking, Kara fisted her hands tightly and managed a stiff nod of understanding as a dozen hideous scenarios occurred all at once. In all of them Cat was sick or dying. None of her terror was eased by the way Cat closed her eyes and seemed to tremble, her expression full of what seemed like terror to Kara. "What..." was all she managed to ask before her voice cracked and failed her.

Cat took a deep breath.

Kara reached for her hand and would have enfolded it in a gentle grasp, but Cat carefully pulled her hand back, her expression twisted into a rictus of pain.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered very softly.

Utterly paralyzed, Kara could only stare. The truth was so far off of what she expected, it took several seconds just to parse the meaning of the words.

While Kara froze, Cat started speaking in a rush, adrenaline making her pulse spike and her thoughts run out of control as she was beset by guilt and shame even though, objectively speaking, she knew she hadn't done anything wrong. "I'm sorry," she apologized too quickly. She couldn't even look at Kara. "It happened before I met you...I didn't cheat, I swear. I've always been irregular and I just didn't realize how long it had been and please believe me, I haven't even looked at anyone else since we started seeing each other." She ran out of air and dragged in a breath as she was driven to try and explain. "It was at a media convention in Vegas...he's someone I've known for years...and I...I didn't know this would happen and I'm so sorry," she said again.

Kara couldn't think, couldn't function. She thought of the way Cat had carefully pulled her hand free and saw it as a rejection. She was losing again. Cat had gotten pregnant by some man she knew and he'd probably sweep into the picture and take her and the baby away. "I-I j-just want you to know how much I've enjoyed our time together..." Kara babbled, so busy staring at her hands she didn't see the way Cat flinched. "I'm really grateful I met you..."

Cat nodded. "I understand," she exhaled. She gnawed on her lower lip. "I...uh...I hope the studio showing goes well for you. You're an amazing artist and...and I hope everyone realizes that." She pushed to her feet with effort.

Barely holding back a sob, Kara nodded. "I hope you two are very happy," she said, her voice a ragged shadow of itself.

Cat pivoted back, brows drawn into a confused frown. "What?"

"You and the baby's father...I want you to know I wish you both all the best. You deserve it," Kara whispered, her voice increasingly rough.

Cat stared, head cocking to one side as she considered her lover. She shook her head a little dazedly. "He loathes me," she said with a soft, bitter laugh. "Thinks I'm lying and this is all some plot I cooked up to snag him into my web." She snorted disgustedly. "Like I'm some desperate, obsessive..." She fell silent and a tear spilled onto her cheek. "Never mind," she muttered. "This isn't your problem..." she whispered and spun away.

"Cat, wait," Kara called out before she had time to think.

Her back to Kara, Cat froze, so she didn't see the other woman rise or even realize she'd moved until she felt Kara step up behind her.

"What if I wanted to make it my problem?" Kara whispered almost inaudibly.

A tiny shudder worked its way through Cat and she exhaled a tiny sob. "I..." she managed to croak, then her voice seized up and she couldn't say another word.

"I love you," Kara confessed. "If you don't want to be with me, that's okay, but if you do, then this doesn't have to end things."

"I won't give it away or get an abortion," Cat insisted. "I'm a package deal now."

"I get that," Kara said quickly. "And I want you to know that I would never ask you to do something you didn't want to...never."

Cat pivoted to stare at Kara with a sad look. She was silent for a long moment, then finally, she spoke softly. "Kara, I'm going to have a baby...I can't ask you to—"

"You're not asking," Kara insisted. She paused to try and clarify her thoughts before beginning again. "Being with you is the first time in my adult life that I've felt like I had someone. I don't want to lose that—"

"And the baby?" Cat demanded, incredulous.

"I guess that depends on what you're comfortable with, but I like kids," Kara offered. "I...I was supposed to..." She trailed off, remembering the baby cousin she'd been sent to raise and protect because even as a child, the computers judged her able to care for him. She'd missed him so much. She shook that thought off as she realized Cat was staring. "I helped raise my baby sister," she said, switching to a safer topic. She reached out and stroked Cat's cheek tenderly. "This baby would be a part of you, which means I'd love it."

Suddenly Cat was desperately and unsuccessfully fighting tears. "Kara, I—"

"I've always wanted kids...and I...I love you, and I'd take care of both of you if you trust me," Kara invited. She knew enough about Cat's life and family to realize that if the father wasn't involved, there would be no one in her corner. "I've been alone before, Cat and I don't want that for you." She stroked her cheek again. "Let me be there for you."

Cat Grant shattered. She fell into Kara's arms and dissolved into ragged tears, exhaustion, stress and hormones overwhelming her normal self control. "I'm not like this," she sobbed against Kara's shoulder. "I'm not some weak, needy—"

"It's okay," Kara soothed. "We're all weak and needy sometimes..." Then she did something she'd never done outside of the bedroom and carefully gathered her lover close, then swept her up into her arms in a bridal carry.

It was a testament to how stressed Cat was that she allowed it and simply wrapped her arms around Kara's neck and buried her face in her shoulder.

"Don't worry about the check," the waitress advised with a wry smile as she held the door open for them. "Just make sure you look after each other."

Cat managed a muffled response that registered as affirmative in tone even though there were no actual discernible words, and clung even more tightly.

Kara pressed the softest of kisses to her love's forehead, then she looked up at the waitress with a grateful smile. "We will," she assured her.

And through it all, they did...

 **End**


End file.
